Physiological responses of crossbred dairy cows in the transition period during summer and post-monsoon seasons

Abstract

This study aims to measure the physiological responses of sixty clinically healthy periparturient crossbred multiparous dairy cows during the summer (February 2022–May 2022) and post-monsoon (October 2021–January 2022) seasons, with 30 animals in each season. Physiological responses such as rectal temperature (°C), respiration rate (per minute), and pulse rate (per minute) of all animals were recorded weekly at 8.00 am and 3.00 pm during the transition period. Three weeks before parturition to three weeks after parturition was considered the transition period. The rectal temperature recorded at 3.00 pm in the summer season significantly (p <0.05) decreased on the day of calving and thereafter returned to pre-partum values, whereas the respiration rate significantly (p <0.05) elevated on the day of calving and thereafter showed no significant variation. Season-wise comparison of all physiological responses in the morning (8.00 am) and evening (3.00 pm) during the transition period showed significantly higher values in the summer season compared to the post-monsoon season. In both seasons evening (3.00 pm) physiological responses were significantly higher than the morning values (8.00 am).

Keywords

• physiological parameters
• transition period
• summer
• post-monsoon